Programming device for circular stocking knitting machines and the like

Abstract

Wide variations of the knitting program determined by the program drum of a circular knitting machine may be achieved by providing a plurality of rotatable program discs having peripheral seats for removable pins for determining supplementary programs and by providing followers co-operable with the program discs and linked to the means for advancing the program drum to selectively render the advancing means inoperative in dependence on the supplementary program. A driving linkage actuated by a cam track on the program drum is provided to allow relatively large angular advancement of the program drum when desired. Another driving linkage actuated by another cam track on the program drum is provided for reducing the speed of the needle cylinder.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A circular knitting machine comprising a rotatable needle cylinder, and a programming device for controlling the operation of the machine, said programming device including a program drum, means for advancing the drum comprising first drive ratchet-wheel means for rotating the drum, first drive pawl means for rotating the first drive ratchet-wheel means, and drive cam means rotatable with the needle cylinder to actuate the first drive pawl means, a plurality of rotatable program discs having peripheral seats for removable pins for determining supplementary programs, followers co-operable with the program discs and linked to the first drive pawl means to selectively render the first drive pawl means inoperative in dependence on the supplementary programs, a plurality of crown ratchet-wheel means each rotatable with a respective one of the program discs, each said crown ratchet-wheel means having a plurality of teeth and a region without teeth and corresponding to a zero setting position of the associated program disc, whereby the program disc can stop in said zero setting position, a plurality of crown ratchet-wheel pawl means each associated with a respective one of the crown ratchet-wheel means to rotate the crown ratchet-wheel means, drive means rotatable with the needle cylinder for actuating the crown ratchet-wheel pawl means, selector means for causing the crown ratchet-wheel pawl means to drive the crown ratchet-wheel means, the selector means comprising a plurality of cam discs, each associated with a respective one of the crown ratchet-wheel means and being idly mounted with respect thereto, a recess in each cam disc which, when aligned in correspondence with the said tooth free region of its respective crown ratchet-wheel means permits the respective crown ratchet-wheel pawl means associated therewith to start driving the crown ratchet-wheet means, a cam track on the program drum, and cam follower means associated with the cam track to cause the respective cam discs to rotate such that the recesses of the cam discs move into alignment with the tooth free regions of their respectively associated crown ratchet-wheel means. 
     
     
       2. A knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the tooth-free region of each crown ratchet-wheel means has a recess in which the crown ratchet-wheel pawl means can engage to drive the crown ratchet-wheel means when the recess in the associated cam disc moves into alignment with the recess in the tooth-free region.